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    UK arms officials defy EU military embargo on China | Ekklesia



    UK arms officials defy EU military embargo on China

    By agency reporter

    1 Aug 2009



    Officials from the UK Government's arms export agency, UK Trade & Investment Defence & Security Organisation (UKTI DSO), have met with military representatives from China - despite the fact that the country is still subject to a European Union (EU) military embargo.



    The existence of such meetings was revealed after a Freedom of Information (FoI) request by Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) to UKTI DSO.



    The People's Republic of China was placed under an EU military embargo following the Tienanmen Square massacre of 4 June 1989, when over a thousand students and other civilians were killed by Chinese army units. The embargo aimed to deny EU weaponry to China while sending a strong signal that violent repression was unacceptable.



    The scope of the EU embargo is left to "national interpretation" by each country. The UK interprets this ban as covering "lethal weapons", including small and large calibre weapons and components, ammunition, military aircraft, fighting vehicles and weapons platforms.



    However, a wide range of other military equipment, often vital for the "lethal weapons" to be effective, is permitted under the scope of the embargo. The UK continues to licence some military equipment for export to China , to the value of several million pounds each year. In addition, the UK licences and exports a range of dual use goods and components.



    It was not revealed by the response to CAAT's FOI request how many meetings with Chinese representatives were held, where or when they took place, who attended, what subjects were covered and whether arms export licences were discussed.



    The FOI request also revealed that UKTI officials met with representatives from six other countries considered as "major countries of concern" in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) Annual Report on Human Rights 2008 - Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam. UKTI DSO officials also met with officials from Georgia and Sri Lanka , which were involved in major conflicts in 2008-9.



    Kaye Stearman, CAAT's spokesperson, commented: " China is supposedly under military embargo yet UKTI DSO seems to have no qualms about holding meetings with Chinese military officials. There is no point making speeches about human rights violations when your officials are discussing weapons sales with the perpetrators of those violations."
    “the misery of being exploited by capitalists is nothing compared to the misery of not being exploited at all” -- Joan Robinson

  • #2
    EADS To Boost Chinese Communications Network
    By pierre tran
    Published: 3 Aug 2009 12:54
    Print Print | Print Email

    Paris - EADS Defense & Security said Aug. 3 it has signed a contract for an undisclosed amount with telecommunications operator Beijing JustTop Co. to upgrade capacity and boost coverage of an existing secure Tetra communications network beyond the Chinese capital.

    The extension of the network is intended to be in service in time for the Oct. 1 celebration of the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China, an EADS Defense & Security spokeswoman said.
    Related Topics

    * Europe
    * Asia & Pacific Rim
    * Land Warfare

    "The Phase-4 project expansion plan for the network will further enhance the network capacity and coverage in the city and improve the coverage for the suburbs, flatlands, counties, main roads leading out from Beijing, key tourist resorts, and other important regions," the company said in a statement.

    Under the contract, EADS will deliver a Tetra DXTip base station, the key element in the network, several third-generation base stations and upgrade services to the existing network.

    EADS won the initial contract to supply a Tetra-based network to Beijing, which wanted a sophisticated system to handle communications during the 2008 Olympic Games. The extended system is intended to add capacity for use by the Beijing government and municipal committee, public security bureau, traffic police, military police, urban management and other organizations.

    The sale of secure networks is part of EADS' strategy to diversify away from pure military business into global security systems and communications.

    Beijing JustTop Communication is a service operator that specializes in digital trunking wireless communications and works on the Beijing government-shared Tetra network.

    EADS To Boost Chinese Communications Network - Defense News
    “the misery of being exploited by capitalists is nothing compared to the misery of not being exploited at all” -- Joan Robinson

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by xinhui View Post
      UK arms officials defy EU military embargo on China | Ekklesia

      ...The People's Republic of China was placed under an EU military embargo following the Tienanmen Square massacre of 4 June 1989, ...
      The EU are probably too lazy to remove this, to their own disadvantage.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Merlin View Post
        The EU are probably too lazy to remove this, to their own disadvantage.
        I assume you have never heard about Chinese copies of Russian or even Western weapons?

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by VietPhuong View Post
          I assume you have never heard about Chinese copies of Russian or even Western weapons?
          And who buys them other than the Chinese?

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Officer of Engineers View Post
            And who buys them other than the Chinese?
            Let a Chinese say what and to where are they exporting to.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Officer of Engineers View Post
              And who buys them other than the Chinese?
              Pakistan?

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Tarek Morgen View Post
                Pakistan?
                Many more. South East Asia, Africa, Iran.
                And not meantioning weapon, renewable energy technology is also a doubt now for EU countries like Germany. PRC is making space for Chinese company in China since they have already got the know-how. It is only a matter of time before China starts competing EU countries in other market.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by VietPhuong View Post
                  I assume you have never heard about Chinese copies of Russian or even Western weapons?
                  EU would love to see Chinese copy their designs, according to an interview. It was done by RAND, I am sure you can google it.

                  1. it generally takes 5 to 10 years to perform a copy and by the time it enters service, it is two generations behind. On top of that, PRC would still need to buy components and service contracts. Like many modern industrial products including software, most of the profit actually come from service support rather than the initial transaction.

                  2. Most of China's navy techs were resulted from the EU import boom in the 1980s and after 30 years, the Chinese continue to follow the linage. That means they will have a customer for a long time to come and give them a jump against the US vendors. Take Z-11, Z-9 and Z-8 choppers as examples; while they are all copies of the French design, Aerospatiale continues to work on improvements with Changhe even after they are being offered to the international market and sold a copy to the Argentine Army. Aerospatiale is also working closely with China on the follow up Z-15 program. Airbus's Tianjian production line just entered production.

                  VP, you failed to understand how corruption works.
                  Last edited by xinhui; 04 Aug 09,, 17:53.
                  “the misery of being exploited by capitalists is nothing compared to the misery of not being exploited at all” -- Joan Robinson

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    IF they were smart they might want to seek favors from China before lifting any embargo or even allow talks to take place. Burma and NK are very much in China's sphere. Perhaps maybe a deal materializing in the not so distant future?;)
                    Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Dreadnought View Post
                      Burma and NK are very much in China's sphere.
                      And Dafur, Tibet, Uyghurs people, Falun gong... You think they really care? No. Every policy is build around one word: money. Uhm, benefit. Sorry *cough* *cough*.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by xinhui View Post
                        EU would love to see Chinese copy their designs, according to an interview. It was done by RAND, I am sure you can google it.
                        Could you please post that interview? I haven't found it (why do I need WAB)? :P

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by VietPhuong View Post
                          And Dafur, Tibet, Uyghurs people, Falun gong... You think they really care? No. Every policy is build around one word: money. Uhm, benefit. Sorry *cough* *cough*.
                          It's not about money. It's about influence. The ability to interfere in other nations affairs is much more important than money.

                          Money is what corporations look for.
                          "Only Nixon can go to China." -- Old Vulcan proverb.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by VietPhuong View Post
                            Let a Chinese say what and to where are they exporting to.
                            A Chinese has no more access to that info than you do. We all rely on open source reports.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by VietPhuong View Post
                              And Dafur, Tibet, Uyghurs people, Falun gong... You think they really care? No. Every policy is build around one word: money. Uhm, benefit. Sorry *cough* *cough*.
                              If you want people take you seriously..................
                              “the misery of being exploited by capitalists is nothing compared to the misery of not being exploited at all” -- Joan Robinson

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